Strengthen what's Important
I previously shared a self - care tip of stretching muscle groups that are important to what you use and generally tighten most throughout the day. I think stretching is a great step toward muscle health and good posture. However, I believe having strong muscles is also key. Strengthening muscle tissue with exercise creates greater balance/ stability and circulation.
Since so many people work at a desk, I'm going to continue to share some strengthening exercises to focus on muscle groups specific to desk workers.
Remember that being in a seated position not only makes muscles tight, but it also leads to weak and overstretched muscles, which can cause pain and discomfort. But one way you can work against the effects of your desk job is by taking a few minutes out of your day to stretch and strengthen the muscles affected by sitting. This blog will focus on the strengthening tips.
Muscles to focus on that get Weak
Glutes and Hip Extensors
Now that you’re all loose and limber from incorporating new stretches into your daily routine, let’s work on strengthening muscles that are getting weaker as you sit at your desk. The glutes (or butt) and hip extensors are responsible for moving your hips in the opposite direction that they’re in while sitting (think: kicking your leg straight back). Strengthening these muscles can help avoid muscular imbalances of the hip that are common with prolonged sitting. A great beginner exercise for strengthening the glutes and hip extensors is the glute bridge. This exercise can be done with no equipment and takes up a very small amount of space. As you progress, you can move onto more weight-bearing movements like the squat or straight leg deadlift.
How To Do The Glute Bridge
Lie face up on the floor, with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Keep your arms at your side with your palms down.
Lift your hips off the ground until your knees, hips and shoulders form a straight line.
Hold your bridged position for a couple of seconds before easing back down.
Upper Back
The muscles of the upper back oppose those chest muscles we talked about earlier that tighten up while sitting. The rhomboids and lats (latissimus dorsi) are the main muscles that are weakened by sitting and that can cause poor posture. A great exercise for strengthening the muscles of the upper back is the bent over row. By strengthening these muscles, you’ll pull the shoulders and chest back, straightening out your upper body and earning better posture in the process. For some who have had a desk job and have worked the chest and neglected the muscles of the upper back, it might be a good idea to ease the load you place on the chest during workouts and focus more on strengthening the posterior muscles of the upper back.
How To Do The Bent Over Row with Dumbbells
Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing the body, holding them shoulder-width apart.
With a dumbbell in each hand, bend over at about a 45-degree angle (no farther). Keep the back straight throughout the exercise.
Brace your abdominals and breathe in. Lift the weights straight up, exhaling.
Abdominals
The abs aren’t just for looks. They keep the core strong and take stress off the lower back. By taking more stress off the lower back, you’ll have an easier time maintaining proper posture. While many exercisers will do hundreds of crunches to get stronger abs, some experts say they aren’t necessarily the best exercise. I personally think that any abdominal work to strengthen your core is great. If that means a few crunchers or sit ups or if holding a plank for a few seconds is what you do, that's great! The plank will help strengthen the muscles that are responsible for core stabilization, which is what gives you good posture. If you feel a traditional plank is too hard, there are plank variations you can perform to build up to a plank with proper form.
How To Do The Plank
Start on the floor on your hands and knees. Come down on to your forearms and step your feet back (extending your legs). Keep your back flat and butt down (not pointing up in the air).
For more stability, bring your feet wider than hip-distance apart, and bring them closer for more of a challenge. Maintain a straight line from heels through the top of your head, looking down at the floor, with gaze slightly in front of your face.
Now, tighten your abs, quads, glutes, and hold.
These were just a small portion of exercises you can do to help alleviate the damages of sitting all day. The easiest way to limit the damage is to try to sit for less time during the day or take breaks from sitting every once in a while.
You might try getting up and doing a quick stretch and putting your body in the opposite position than what it’s in when sitting. By moving around and putting your body out of the seated position, you’ll alleviate some of the pain and tightness that happens at the end of the day.
If you’re looking for a more advanced approach to alleviating the pains and discomforts that come from sitting, I suggest consulting with a fitness professional who can get you set up with an exercise program that will address these issues directly. If you are an avid exerciser, be mindful to add exercises and stretches to your routine to avoid any injuries that may be caused by muscular imbalance and tightness.